Peterborough High School: Watch out... the boys are coming!

BOY pupils will be bravely going where no boys have gone before next year – into the senior section of Peterborough High School.

BOY pupils will be bravely going where no boys have gone before next year – into the senior section of Peterborough High School.After more than a century of teaching only senior girls, the school is set to allow male pupils to join classes from Year 7 up to the sixth form.

The independent school takes pupils aged 4 to 18. It already allows boys up to Year 6 - but next year's intake will be the first to include boys in the senior section.

The change will also see a rebranding as the school becomes known as 'The Peterborough School'.

The news was broken to the stunned and excited girl pupils at an assembly and letters sent home to parents.

The school decided to allow senior boys after demand for them to be taught at the school became too hard to ignore.

Headmaster, Adrian Meadows said: "We are delighted to be developing from such a position of strength since we are so frequently asked to provide education for both boys and girls post-11.

"This exciting development will also allow significant curriculum enhancement, which will be phased over the next five years and which will involve a greater array of subjects on offer and the increased provision of associated facilities and staff.

"We are confident of a very stimulating and exciting future."

Boys already in Year 6 at the school will progress to the senior section next year. External applicants for Year 7 can sit the Entrance Examinations in January 2010.

And current Year 11 boys and girls wishing to enter the Sixth Form at Year 12 will be offered places depending on their predicted GCSE grades.

The move has been firmly backed by parents, particularly those with girls currently in the Senior School and boys in the Preparatory Department.

Jonathan Fowler, whose daughter Ellie-Rose is in the seniors and son Toby in the preparatory, said: "We chose Peterborough High School for our children because of the quality of education it offers.